Electrical connector of the trolley tap type



1 1952 J. F. CONRAD ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR OF THE TROLLEY TAP TYPE Filed May 1, 1950 JNVENTOR. JOHN E Came/:0.

the stud 8.

Patented Jan. 15, 1952 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR OF THE TROLLEZY TAP TYPE John Francis Conrad, Ebensburg, Pa., assignor to Deltron Electric Products, Inc., Ebensburg, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 1, 1950, Serial No. 159,335

2 Claims.

My invention relates to electrical connectors and is particularly useful in temporarily tapping electrical conductor wires or cables for the utilization of electrical current therefrom, for motors and other electrical devices.

One important field of usefulness for my invention as herein shown and described is in connection with underground mining equipment. The conventional feed line taps are made in such manner that when making a connection, the tap is put on the feed line cable without dislodging rock dust, coal dust or oxidation, which is invariably deposited on the cable by natural accumulation. Feed line cables under such circumstances oii'er a high resistance to the current flowing through such devices, and therefore, if such cables are not wiped clean the connection becomes highly heated, thus causing an appreciable drop in voltage which, in turn, is one of the reasons for inefficient machine operation.

One object of my invention is to provide a feed line tap of such form that it will wipe the conductor cable and automatically remove dust, rust or other foreign matter therefrom during positioning of the tap.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tap of the character referred to that can conveniently be employed in connection with a holder of the cartridge-fuse type and which can easily be adjusted to conductor cables of various sizes, and wherein the wiping eiiect referred to is automatically performed simply through the motions required to apply the tap to the cable.

As shown in the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of the tap in partly assembled position on a cable; Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof, and Fig. 3 shows the manner in which the tap has complete engagement with the cable.

The tap or connector is here shown as having connection with a conductor cable or wire 5, for tapping current through a fused type holder 6 to a cable I. The fuse 6 is provided with the ordinary insulated holder and has a threaded conductor stud projected therefrom ior connection to the tap.

The stud 8 has threaded engagement with conductor jaws of laminated strip form bound tightly together at their lower ends by brass strips 8 and rivets Hi, the assembled mass of strips being recessed and threaded for tight connection to These jaws are arranged in two opposed groups of strips II and I2, the strips of each group being preferably laminations of Phosphor bronze and copper that alternate with one another, and the Phosphor bronze serving as leaf springs. The groups are faced by conductor strips l3 in V-like formation that have direct engagement with the cable 5.

The conductor jaws are pivotally connected to a block by a stud ii that extends through the laminated group and through the block, there being a spacing collar l6 interposed between the block and the group of strips.

The block I l partly embraces hangers [1, here shown in the form of an inverted yoke, and is slidable vertically thereon for adjustment by a cap screw l8 that seats against the closed end or saddle of the yoke. The conductor strips i3 are thus adjustable to cables of various thicknesses.

In applying the tap, the hangers I! will first be hung upon the wire or cable 5 and the fuse holderj, together with the blades II 2 swung towardavertical position. During this move ment, the contacting strips l 3 will wipe the cable 5, to clean the same, for good electrical contact as above mentioned. The movement of the blades H! in an arcuate path that extends somewhat in the same general direction as the cable makes for more effective cleaning of the cable than if the conductor laws were applied in a vertical direction from either above or below the cable.

Theblock M will be adjusted so that the upper ends of the conductor jaws will be sprung apart slightly as shown in Fig. 3, to thereby insure tight engagement with the cable 5.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electrical connector of the trolley tap type, comprising a holder, yieldably-opposed conductor jaws carried thereby, a pair of hanger members for hooked engagement with an electricalv line, a block adjustable longitudinally of the hanger members, and a pivotal connection between the jaws and the block, on an axis generallytransverse to a conductor on which said hanger members are suspended, and at such elevationthat the jaws may have wiping engagement with a line engaged'by the hanger members.

2. A connector as recited in claim 1, wherein thehanger members are in the form of an inverted yoke that has hooks on its upper extremities and the said block is adjustably supported on the saddle portion of the yoke.

JOHN FRANCIS CONRAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the me 01' this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,496,603 Rothenberger June 3, 1924 2,009,289 Caird July 23, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 110,551 Sweden Mar. 9, 1944 610,420 Germany Mar. 9, 1935 

